1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for aiding proper alignment of body parts, and, more particularly, to devices especially adapted for properly aligning a person's legs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Backaches are a pervasive health problem that affects millions of people at one time or another. The causes of backaches are varied, but one cause that affects many people is a misalignment of the spine. Misalignment of the spine may be exacerbated during a person's sleeping hours when various sleeping positions may contribute to spine misalignment. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that assists in the alignment of the spine when a person is sleeping.
Doctors, chiropractors, and other medical personnel often recommend that a person sleep with a conventional pillow between their legs to assist in spine alignment. The pillow serves as a thick shim to provide a space between the legs. In addition, to keep the pillow between the legs, the legs must be maintained, in a proper alignment. Although a person may begin a night's sleep with a pillow between one's legs, during the night, as a result of tossing and turning, the pillow is often displaced from its position between the legs. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided which furnishes a thick shim to provide a space between a person's legs without being displaced by a person's tossing; and turning during a night's sleep.
A person's lower appendage includes a thigh, a knee, a leg and a foot. Of greatest importance in assisting in keeping a spine in proper alignment are the thigh and the leg. Of course the knee bends between the thigh and the leg. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided that keeps opposite thighs properly spaced apart, that keeps opposite legs properly spaced apart, and that permits opposite knees to bend.
People vary considerably in their body dimensions. In this respect, it would be desirable if a thigh and leg alignment apparatus were provided that is adaptable to people of different sizes and dimensions.
Many people, when they go to sleep, wear sleepwear, such as pajamas. If a thigh and leg alignment apparatus is employed, it would be desirable if the thigh and leg alignment apparatus could be incorporated into sleepwear. If this were done, then employing the thigh and leg alignment apparatus would not be a strange and foreign task. In this respect, it would be desirable if a thigh and leg alignment apparatus were provided that is incorporated in sleepwear such as pajamas.
When placed between a person's thighs and legs, a conventional pillow provides a soft cushion between the thighs and legs. Pillows vary quite a bit in their composition. Some include feathers; some include artificial foam. Some pillows are inflatable and include air as the cushioning substance. In this respect, it would be desirable if a thigh and leg alignment apparatus can include a variety of cushioning materials.
During a night's sleep, people often get up and get out of bed for a number of reasons and then return to bed. In this respect, it would be desirable if a thigh and leg alignment device were provided which is readily reemployed after a person returns to bed during the night.
During a night's sleep, as a person tosses and turns, a thigh and leg alignment apparatus may be moved out of alignment. Even so, the device should not have sharp edges and be uncomfortable so as to cause the wearer to be awakened from slumber. In this respect, it would be desirable if a thigh and leg alignment device were provided which has a low profile and soft edges so as not to cause a wearer's discomfort if the device is placed out of alignment.
With a thigh and leg alignment apparatus in the form of sleepwear, it is important that the sleepwear be readily launderable. In this respect, the cushions may be readily removed from the sleepwear, and the sleepwear may be laundered without the cushions. Afterwards, the cushions can be placed back in the sleepwear. Optionally, the cushions also may be launderable.
Pajamas may be made from a wide variety of fabrics, and many persons may have preferences of one fabric over another. A person may even have a favorite pair of pajamas that one would not like to give up using in order to employ a thigh and leg alignment apparatus. In this respect, it would be desirable if conventional pajamas could be retrofitted to become a thigh and leg alignment apparatus.
It may be of interest that, throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to protecting knees from trauma, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,211; 4,876,745; 4,914,753; 5,077,837; and U.S. Pat. Des. Nos. 311,791. None of the devices disclosed in these cited patents are disclosed as being suitable for thigh and leg alignment of opposite thighs and legs as a person sleeps.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use a conventional pillow to align a person's thighs and legs, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a thigh and leg alignment apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) assists in the alignment of the spine when a person is sleeping; (2) furnishes a thick shim to provide a space between a person's thighs and legs without being displaced by a person's tossing and turning during a night's sleep; (3) keeps opposite thighs properly spaced apart, keeps opposite legs properly spaced apart, and permits opposite knees to bend; (4) is adaptable to people of different sizes and dimensions; (5) is incorporated in sleepwear such as pajamas; (6) can include a variety of cushioning materials; (7) is readily reemployed after a person gets out of bed and returns to bed during the night; (8) has a low profile and soft edges so as not to cause a wearer's discomfort if the device is placed out of alignment; (9) employs cushions that may be readily removed from the sleepwear so that the sleepwear may be laundered without the cushions; and (10) permits conventional pajamas to be retrofitted to become a thigh and leg alignment apparatus. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique thigh and leg alignment apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.